This article is not an attempt to bestow a design degree but to offer some helpful hints on how to select a granite counter top color.
· Granite is made by nature and there is a lot of variation between
slabs and even within slabs. Click Here for a video demonstrating the differences within a slab. Always select the exact granite slabs that will be used in your kitchen. If your kitchen requires more than one slab make sure they all come from the same lot and are numbered consecutively.
· There are different grades of granite. Granite slabs marked “commercial grade” often have more defects, may have carbon (dark black patches,) will have less graining and are usually duller and lack luster. Click here for example. Commercial grade slabs have the same names as their premium cousins but if you mix commercial with premium you will likely not like the results.
· There are different finishes. The most common is polished but Honed is available. Honed is duller and can be more prone to damage.
· How you countertop looks may depend on where in the slab your top is cut. Click here for example.
· Dark granite colors will darken you kitchen where lighter colors will brighten the room.
· Dramatic colors can make a big impact on your kitchen but selecting that dramatic color you love may make it difficult to sell the home if it is too dramatic. I once visited a project where the owner selected a blue glass countertop which looked terrible in the vintage Frank Lloyd Wright home.
· Bring a cabinet door, tile sample and any other major colors with you to look at the slab.
· View the slab in natural light and light similar to your kitchen (fluorescent or incandescent) if possible.
· If you want the countertop to be the focal point make it several shades darker or lighter than the other colors in the room.
· If there is a large difference between your floor color and cabinet color you are likely best selecting a color range between the two.
· Be aware of the type of backsplash you want. If it is granite it will blend in. If you add a backsplash of tile or other materials make sure it does not become the dramatic focus of the room unless you want it to be.
